It is shocking that the government has chosen to allow foreign cigarette brands to come into the country just when it is planning to implement a stringent ban on advertising of tobacco products. Foreign cigarette brands, as has been proved the world over, including an indictment by a special commission set up by EU, enter markets with a high decibel campaign and then ride on their official presence to sell in the grey market.

One can only conjecture that foreign brands see an opportunity to flood the grey market when Indian brands will stop advertising and their awareness levels will do down.